What are market indices?

Market indices (also known as market indexes) are used as benchmarks to monitor movement and performance of market segments. This will typically include shares, bonds, and other assets that represent a particular market or economic sector. This enables you to assess the overall condition of a market, prevailing prices, and compare the performance of your investments.

Market Indice Illustration

Where can I find market indices on the Westpac Share Trading website and Mobile App?

Website:

Select Quotes and Research > Quotes > Market Indices to view a consolidated overview of specific sectors, industries, or the top companies listed on the ASX.

  • XAO represents the All Ordinaries index which comprises the 500 largest companies listed on the ASX by market capitalisation.
  • XJO represents the S&P/ASX 200 Index which comprises the top 200 shares listed on the ASX by market capitalisation.
  • XFL represents the S&P/ASX 50 Index which comprises the top 50 shares on the ASX by market capitalisation.
Market Indices on website

The figures in the column ‘Last’ are the index points, while the change in $ and % columns indicate the difference between the last point and the last closed point from the previous trade day.

You can also select the individual index code for example when you select XJO, it will provide you a list of all individual shares that make up the index you have selected. Additionally, you have the ability to select the specific company code within that index list and this will lead you to the quotes page where you can then begin your in-depth company research. 

Individual shares that make up the index

You can view the ‘market indices’ widget on the home page and stay updated with local and international market movements with this accessible feature helping you spot trading opportunities as they arise.

Market Indices on the home page

Mobile App:

To access the market indices feature on the Westpac Share Trading app, simply log in and select Markets > Indices.

With this convenient feature, you can monitor the performance of various markets anytime and anywhere, ensuring that you stay informed about the latest market trends.

Market Indices on the mobile app
Market Indices on the mobile app

International Market Indices

Widely used international indices include:

  • The Financial Times Stock Exchange 100 (FTSE 100) tracks the largest 100 companies listed on the London Stock Exchange.
  • The Standard & Poor’s 500 (S&P 500) tracks the largest 500 publicly listed companies on stock exchanges in the United States.
  • The Dow Jones Industrial Average is a price-weighted index that tracks 30 prominent companies listed on stock exchanges in the United States.
  • The NASDAQ Composite Index, operated by the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations (NASDAQ), is a broad-based market capitalisation-weighted index that includes shares from all three tiers of NASDAQ: global select, global market and capital market.
  • The Hang Seng Index (HSI) is a free-float capitalisation-weighted index of a selection of companies listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. The index is divided into four sub-indices: Commerce and Industry, Finance, Utilities and Properties, each representing different sectors.

More on International Indices

To find the overnight performance of international markets under the pre-market view, select Quotes & Research > Research > Markets. This allows you to get ready for the upcoming trading day by catching up on the overnight performance of significant international markets.

The page will display an International Equity Indices chart which includes the FTSE 100, S&P 500, NASDAQ Composite, and Dow Jones and outlines their performance against the overnight ASX/SPI 200 index.

This chart view features allow you to visualise performance as well as track day-on-day change, last close and ‘As of’ updates dates.

International markets under the pre-market vie

For more information on our market research offerings download our Investment Research Guide or call us on 13 13 31 (Monday to Friday, 8:00am to 7:00pm, Sydney time).

This information is intended to provide information for educational purposes only and is subject to change at anytime without notice.